Benicia High School Panther Post

BHS Vision Statement

Benicia High School will inspire learning with integrity in order to find personal success in an ever-changing world.

Expected Student Learning Results:

• Communicator and Collaborator
• Critical Thinker and Problem Solver
• Creator and Innovator

Is your family moving out of the area? Is your student planning to transfer to another school next year?

If you are not planning for your student to return to BHS, please email BHSInfo@beniciaunified.org or notify your student's counselor.

Thank you!

Hello Panther Families,

Site Council Surveys for Parents, Students & Staff

Each year our School Site Council works to gather and review data in order to update our schoolwide goals in our Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), which then goes to the BUSD Governing Board for approval. At the high school level, this is of great importance as this plan also serves as our goals to meet our Critical Growth Areas that come from our school accreditation process with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

One of the methods of data collection is a set of surveys that we send out in the Spring, with questions geared to collect data to measure progress on our current goals as well as the possible need for new or additional goals to best meet the needs of our students and school community. The surveys are anonymous and will be sent out via ParentSquare (to parents/guardians) and school email (to students and staff) after Spring Break.

We ask for your time and participation with this survey so we can better understand your experiences at BHS and how we can continue to improve. If you have questions about the surveys, please email BHSInfo@beniciaunified.org. Thank you in advance for your support!

Senior Bulletin

We recently sent out the Class of 2023 Senior Bulletin and want to make that available here as well. The Senior Bulletin is intended to be a resource for 12th grade students and their families to find information about graduation and all of the end-of-year events leading up to graduation, as well as information on scholarships and more. If you have any questions about the items in the Senior Bulletin, or notice something that could be added to make it even better, please reach out and let me know. We look forward to a great end of the school year with our Seniors and all of our students.

Go Panthers!

Principal Brianna Kleinschmidt

• April 1 - April 10: School Closed - Spring Break
• Tuesday, April 11th: Return from Spring Break, school resumes
• Tuesday, April 11th: Willie B. Adkins Program - Tuesdays at 5:30pm in room L116/117
  
• Thursday, April 13: Panda Express Fundraiser, flyer below
• Friday, April 14th: Common Planning Time (CPT) Schedule, student dismissal at 2:30pm
• Friday, April 14th: ASVAB Test, register with Ms. Marwick in the College & Career Center
• Friday, April 14th: College Soccer Game @ BHS, 5pm, fundraiser for BHS Soccer programs
• Saturday, April 15th: Prom, 7:00-11:00pm at the San Francisco Design Center (tickets required)
• April 17 - April 21st: Panther Passport Week - celebration of diversity and cultures at BHS
• Monday, April 17th: Senior Breakfast, 8:00-9:20am in BHS cafeteria - free for seniors & includes cap/gown distribution
• Tuesday, April 18th: School Site Council Meeting, 3:50pm in room A-107
• Tuesday, April 18th: Willie B. Adkins Program - Tuesdays at 5:30pm in room L116/117
• Wednesday, April 19th: Access Event - Getting Ready for Senior Year (see info below)
• Wednesday, April 19th: PTSA General Meeting, 6:00pm
• Wednesday, April 19th: PTSA Board Meeting, 6:30pm
  
• Thursday, April 20th: Student Forum during Access
• Friday, April 21st: Opening night of Spring production of "Lost Girls," 7pm
• Saturday, April 22nd: Spring production of "Lost Girls" at 7pm
• Sunday, April 23rd: 28th annual Benicia Classic Car Show, 9am-3pm (see info below)
• Monday, April 24th: Panther Athletics Hall of Fame Info Meeting at 6:30pm in L-116
  
• Tuesday, April 25th: Willie B. Adkins Program - Tuesdays at 5:30pm in room L116/117
  
• Wednesday, April 26th: Special Access Event - Golden Gate Symphony Holocaust Remembrance Concert (see info below)
• Thursday, April 27th: Special Access Event - Career Fair
• Thursday, April 27th: Seniors vs. Staff Basketball Game, 7pm in BHS Gym, tickets at door
• Thursday, April 27th: ELAC Meeting, 6:00pm
  
• Friday, April 28th: Spring production of "Lost Girls," 7pm
• Saturday, April 28th: Spring production of "Lost Girls," 7pm
• Sunday, April 29th: Closing matinee for Spring production of "Lost Girls," 2pm
• Monday, May 1st: AP Exams begin (see info below)
• May 1 - May 31: Mental Health Awareness Month - events at BHS throughout the month

BHS's Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) is currently looking to fill open board positions for the 2023-2024 school year. We welcome new members to join the organization ($10 fee) and join the Board. This is a great opportunity to get connected with the school community and bring your ideas to BHS! We ​welcome and encourage parents of incoming 9th grade students ​to join our board as well.

Open Board Positions for 2023-24 school year:

• Secretary

• Treasurer

• Parliamentarian

• VP Membership

• VP Volunteers

Link to become a member of PTSA: https://bhs.beniciaunified.org/parents-students/ptsa/

For questions or to submit interest in joining the Board, please email PTSA President, Amy De Lago at adelago@comcast.net

The Panther Athletics Hall of Fame meets each month, on the fourth Monday of the month, at 6:30pm in room L-116/117 (across from the BHS library). We invite all interested community members and alumni to join us as we hope to have every sport represented, male and female teams, as we work together to start this new organization.

During our March meeting we formed our initial Board, which includes:

- Chairperson: Ron Wheat

- Vice-Chairperson: Gary French

- Secretary: Kirsten Kelsen

- Media/Publicity: Brianna Kleinschmidt

- Athletic Director: Craig Holden

- Board Member: Marco Santos

- Board Member: Rick Olson

The Board will meet on April 17th at 6pm to finalize the proposed Hall of Fame Guidelines.

Next Hall of Fame Meeting: Monday, April 24th, 6:30pm

We plan to bring forward the proposed guidelines and a first draft of the Hall of Fame nomination form. We continue to seek more participants from a range of sports, both male and female, as well as a range of grad years. You are welcome to simply attend meetings and provide input or to join a committee as we begin to plan for the future. Join us!

Please email BHSInfo@beniciaunified.org. with any questions or to get involved. #GoPanthers

We invite BHS students to participate in the 8th Congressional District's 2023 Congressional Art Competition. All high school students residing in California's 8th Congressional District, which includes portions of Solano and Contra Costa Counties, are invited to submit their original artwork. The deadline for submission is Tuesday, April 25th at 5 PM PST.

Each spring, the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives sponsor a nationwide high school arts competition. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent across the country and our Congressional District.

The grand prize winner will have their work displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year, alongside the winning artwork from other Congressional districts in the country. The winner and their guest will also receive free, roundtrip flights to attend a reception in the U.S. Capitol this summer. The runner-up will have their artwork displayed in my Washington D.C. office, and honorable mention winners will be selected from the participating counties to have their art displayed in my District Offices.

The official entry guidelines and release forms for the 2023 Congressional Art Competition are available on the contest website. If you have any questions, please email Jacqueline.Hartsough@mail.house.gov or call (707) 438-1822.

LINK TO CONTEST WEBSITE for RULES & REGULATIONS

We are excited for the return of the Next Generation 2023 Art Show, featuring art from Benicia High School students and students from every school in the district. The exhibition and Family Art Day events are free and open to the public.

Exhibition dates: March 25 – April 23, 2023
Family Art Day: April 16, 1:00 – 3:00 pm

Next Generation is a collaborative effort of educators, parents, volunteers, and Arts Benicia, to make possible this wonderful community event that showcases the artistic talent of our youth in a professional gallery show.

Arts Benicia is proud to present the creative talents of the Next Generation of artists with this exhibition created specifically for Benicia students. Teachers select artwork by student artists ranging from kindergartners through high school seniors from all Benicia schools.

This exhibition is supported by the California Arts Council, Valero Benicia Refinery, The Sato Foundation, and Happy Life Pottery, with additional support from individual donors.

Benicia High School, Benicia Middle School, and Liberty High School are excited to bring a new Spanish Language curriculum to the BUSD Governing Board for adoption oat the April 20th meeting. The title of the proposed curriculum is Senderos by Vista Higher Learning, which translates as pathway. The plan is to use Senderos at Benicia Middle School for Level 1 Spanish and at Benicia High School and Liberty High School for Levels 1 through 4 Spanish courses.

Parents and community members may view the curriculum by:

• Visit http://vhlcentral.com
• Login with username: vhlspanish@beniciaunified.org
• Enter password: Benicia23
• Click on any book cover (Senderos 1,2,3,or4) you would like to review
• Click on "Content" or "Teacher Resources" to view activities, assessment, resources and the virtual textbook

If you would like to view the curriculum further than what is provided on the website, you may make an appointment by contacting Lynn Hannafin @ lhannafin@beniciaunified.org.

Benicia High School is excited to announce that we are working to update our AP Statistics curriculum for the 2023-2024 school year.

We are bringing forward The Practice of Statistics 6th Edition, Updated by Bedford, Freeman and Worth. This curriculum aligns with the College Board and the updated AP Statistics assessment. If you would like to preview the curriculum before it goes to the school board for approval, you may contact Lea Anne Aidt at laidt@beniciaunified.org and/or Lynn Hannafin at lhannafin@beniciaunified.org to set up an appointment.

Parents of 11th Graders:

California statewide tests are coming up for our 11th grade students: 11th Grade: Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC) Math and English exams.

Students will be tested regardless of whether they are currently enrolled in an English or math class. The assessments provide an academic check-up by measuring real-world skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. All assessments are done online and are not timed to ensure students have the time they need to complete each section successfully.

These assessments are a key measure for our school on the California School Dashboard, an important part of the recognition of Benicia High having an exemplary educational program, as well as helping our students prepare for success in college and careers.

The SBAC English and Math exams are scheduled for May 15-19th. Each subject test will take about one block period to complete. Students will be allowed extra time if they do not finish within the period.

We ask you to encourage your student to put their best effort forward so the results can reflect a true measurement of their progress. The results help teachers and administrators to improve teaching and learning throughout the academic school year in determining the impact of selected curriculum and programs to inform instruction.

Last but not least - we are excited to bring back our SBAC Incentive Program for the Class of 2024 (current 11th grade students). Students can earn great prizes by giving their best effort on the SBAC Math and English exams, including free Homecoming and Prom tickets. More information will be presented to Juniors in April. Students who are opted out of exams are not eligible to participate in the Incentive Program and will not be considered for recognition as Valedictorian or Salutatorian.

SENIORS REGISTER NOW

Currently 136 seniors have signed up. Don’t miss out on this great event! Current registration price is $125.00. Prices will increase to $150.00 on April 15th. You can register online at www.benicigradnight.net. Remember you can off set the price of your ticket by selling your raffle tickets, which were in the blue envelop you received first of December.

SENIOR PARENTS – Memory Hall Pictures:

Grad night is looking for 5-6 pictures of your senior. These pictures will be put up on a video wall during the event. If you have not already sent please email your pictures to beniciagradnight@gmail.com. Include student name on subject line i.e.: “pictures John Doe”

April 17, 2023 press release: Benicia High sophomores Tristan Espana and David Sanders earned another award for the Benicia High Debate Team last weekend when they broke into quarter finals at the National Parliamentary Debate League tournament. The novice debaters finished 7th in a field of 27 teams with a final winning record of 4-2. The national tournament awards the top eight teams.

Working alongside varsity debaters Conner Bush and Gabriel Stockwell, they trained with coach Juhi Yadav, Benicia alum, class of 2022.

While Stockwell, Bush and Espana have competed in previous tournaments, this was Sanders’ first outing, and schools generally send their best teams to nationals. Sanders volunteered to fill out the novice team and, along with his fellow debaters, debated six rounds in two days on topics ranging from government investment in AI to the question of paying a ransom to hackers.

In Parli debate, a topic is “dropped” and debaters have 20 minutes to prepare a full argument case, along with supporting evidence and an explanation of the impact of their case. Speeches are 7 and 8 minutes long, improvised around a case outline, and final rebuttals are passionately argued in order to persuade the judge. The skills and technique required to win are formidable.

It was a great ending to a tough competitive year - one that saw some team changes and the loss of last year’s coaches Tristan Keene and Braden Begbie, both of whom left for college. Keene now debates for UC Berkeley and recently won first place in the two largest college national parli tournaments. Begbie is a junior at UC Santa Cruz. But Berkeley freshman and former Benicia Debate Team champion Yadav stepped in a few months ago to fill the void, at times conducting zoom sessions that ended at 10:00 pm!

The team will lose graduating senior Bush, who will join Keene and Yadav at Cal, and otherwise begin training over the summer before the competitive circuit begins again in September.

Pictured Left to right: Sophomores Tristan Espana and David Sanders, Junior Gabriel Stockwell, Senior Conner Bush

Upcoming events:

• April 13th: Solano Community College Workshop during Access in L116/117, This workshop will help seniors register for the fall semester, and help 9th-11th graders register for summer courses. Seniors planning to attend Solano Community College next year are highly encouraged to attend. Sign-up using the Google Form in your grade level google classroom.
• April 14th: ASVAB exam at 2:45 pm in room G-6. To register, email Mrs. Marwick at gmarwick@beniciaunified.org
• April 19th: Getting Ready for Senior Year (Juniors only) - 11th grade students are encouraged to attend this presentation about college applications during Access in room L-116/117. Join Ms. Smith and Mrs. Marwick for a presentation on timelines for college applications, advice, and Q&A. Sign up using the Access link in Google Classroom.
• April 23rd: Local Senior scholarship applications due by 11:59 pm. All scholarships are located under the Classwork tab in the Counseling Google Classroom.
• April 20th: First Generation College Group during Access in H109. This group is for students whose parents or guardians did not receive a 4-year college degree and would like extra help understanding how college works, how to choose a college, applications, financial aid, and more! Sign up using the Access link in Google Classroom.
• April 27th: Career Fair in the main quad during brunch and Access. Featured companies include Amazon, AT&T, Cal Fire, Caltrans, Federal Reserve, IBEW (PG&E Union), Iron Workers Union, Valero, Project Steno, Kaiser Permanente, and a Sheetmetal Union, with more to be added!

Questions? Contact Ms. Marwick in the College & Career Center or via email at gmarwick@beniciaunified.org

Class of 2023 Families:

We want to share information with you about the new FAFSA requirement for the Class of 2023. This information went out to Seniors via school email and to families via ParentSquare on November 3rd.

Assembly Bill 469 requires schools to make sure that high school seniors complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). Students/Families may elect to opt out of this requirement by submitting an opt-out form to our Counseling Office by December 1, 2022.

To date, 161 Benicia High seniors have completed the FAFSA (49% of seniors). We provided a Financial Aid Night event and have the recording available here for your reference:
LINK TO FINANCIAL AID NIGHT RECORDING

For more information about this requirement and responses to "Frequently Asked Questions" please read pages 2 through 5 of this document.

If you prefer to opt-out of this requirement, you must print, complete, and submit Page 1 of this document to our Counseling Office by December 1, 2022.

You can now check if we have received your FAFSA/CADAA or opt out form in Aeries. It may take a few days for our system to update. Follow the steps below if you'd like to confirm. Opt out forms are available in counseling.
1. Log into student/parent Aeries Full Portal (not mobile app)
2. Click 3 lines on top left corner
3. Select Student Info
4. Click Activities and Awards
If the student completed or opted out of the requirement, it will be listed here. If nothing is listed, you have not completed the requirement.

If you would like further assistance, please contact Senior Counselor Emily Rainey at erainey@beniciaunified.org

Thank you!
BHS Administration & Counseling

May 20, 2023

10:30 AM

Solano County Fairgrounds, McCormack Hall Lawn

Free to all!

Theme: ART IS POWER!

The goal of the event is to recognize youth artists, showcasing their talent in a hybrid setting that would allow for live performances and displays, as well as participation virtually through a live stream event and pre-recorded content. There are three components of the Student Art Showcase, the performing arts, art exhibit (formerly called the Solano Student Art Faire), and community booths.

Eligibility:

Any student living in or attending school in Solano County. Open to all school aged youth and community youth groups.

Genres:

Performance space is limited - Register Today! - https://www.solanocoe.net/performingarts

• Individual or group performances are eligible

The free Showcase will feature an outdoor stage for live performances, an art exhibit with art from Solano County schools (grades 4-12), and informational / activity booths hosted by local community organizations and student groups featuring information and services ranging from but not limited to, mental health, general wellbeing, drug and alcohol prevention and intervention, and violence prevention.

The Solano Student Art Showcase is part of collaborative group of organizations hosted by the Solano County Office of Education with the objective to highlight youth resilience during COVID by supporting all types of youth artists and to promote mental health and wellness, and alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) prevention through art.

For more information visit https://www.solanocoe.net/showcase or contact Rebecca Floyd at rfloyd@solanocoe.net or Johanna Nowak-Palmer at jnowak@solanocoe.net

To register for the 2023 virtual summer camp click HERE

The American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region is hosting two of our annual Summer Youth Programs and we’d like to share these opportunities with you.

The first program is the Leadership Development Center (LDC). Aimed for students ages 13-18 years old, LDC is an in-person summer camp where youth learn about the Red Cross mission & how they can be involved in serving their communities, valuable professional development skills, and plenty of the fun aspects of going to summer camp! LDC provides great opportunities for youth to become leaders in their school and local communities.

A few of the 2023 Leadership Development Center Session highlights include:

· Team Building

· Public Speaking

· Diversity & Inclusion Sessions

· Disaster and Emergency Preparedness

· International Humanitarian Law

Through these hands-on and interactive activities, students will walk away feeling empowered to serve their local communities. They will also have the chance to build their confidence and create long-lasting friendships. For more information, click here.

The second program is the Summer Internship Program, dedicated to providing a service-learning experience for youth volunteers. This program is aimed for students enrolled in an accredited college, university, or high school and are above the age of 14. The intern positions provide students the opportunity to work within one of the oldest and well-respected non-profit organizations across the globe and learn about the ins and outs of our different lines of service. Interns are valued team members and help promote the mission and services of the American Red Cross. The program offers stimulating and challenging projects that build interns’ professional skills and leadership experience. Although this is an unpaid internship program, they are proud to offer college credits established by the intern’s academic institution.

A few highlights of the internship program include:

· Professional Development Workshops

· Academic Student Learning

· Direct Supervisor Mentorship

· Project Management Training

· Professional Networking

· Volunteer Management

Here is a link to the program flyer to share: 2023 Summer Internship Program Flyer

No previous Red Cross experience is necessary to apply for LDC nor the Summer Internship Program.

Register for Leadership Development Center here: tinyurl.com/NCCRLDC2023

Register for Summer Internship Program here: tinyurl.com/NCCRInternship2023

Solano College is offering an Industrial Robotics Bootcamp this summer, June 19 – June 29, 2023. The course runs 9:00 am to 3:30p each day for those 9 days. The course is ADVM 162 – Industrial Robotics – 3 Units – CRN 60268. By completing this course, students will also receive an industry certification from Fanuc Robotics for material handling. Students will also learn about career options in the Advanced Manufacturing industry as well as the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in related fields of automation and engineering. Students can go to the link below and enter their information, a representative from SCC will then follow up with the interested students regarding registration details and paperwork. There is no cost to students, other than the transportation to get to the Fairfield campus. It is limited to just 18 students from Solano County, so it will fill up fast.

Register at: https://tinyurl.com/SCCRoboticsBootcamp2023

Stuck on homework? Need help preparing for a test?

Too shy to ask a question during class?

Paper is here to help!

Paper connects students to a real human tutor 24/7, 365 days a year, on ANY subject through a live chat feature. Students can also submit written work (essays, lab reports, college applications, writing prompts, resumes and more) and receive feedback in less than 24 hours.

Full access to Paper is available to students now!

Go to app.paper.co/login and login with your school account, or

Click on the Paper app on your Clever dashboard

NEW as of March 22, 2023!!! PAPER now offers an app through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store to make it easier for students to get help.

Link to PAPER in the Apple App Store

Link to PAPER in the Google Play Store

Make your student's birthday extra special with a Marquee Birthday Wish! For $20 you can put their name in lights on the BHS marquee and send a birthday wish they'll never forget.

1. Submit the information using this Google Form - must be submitted at least 5 days prior to the requested posting date.

2. Purchase the Marquee Wish on the BHS Webstore. Message requests will not be posted unless they are also paid in advance.

This is a fundraiser for the BHS Associated Student Body and benefits students through school activities.

Panther fans can now purchase spirit wear online with a range of items and accessories and proceeds benefitting our general athletics program. Items are delivered directly to you - including hats, blankets, jackets, shirts, backpacks, wall decals, and more. You can even design your own items!

https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/california/benicia/benicia-high-school

We will still continue to offer spirit wear sales on campus that benefit our Associated Student Body (ASB) and various team wear. Thank you in advance for supporting your BHS Panthers!

Benicia High School is proud to partner with our Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) and work together to build a positive school community. Last year we were successful in growing our membership, adding to our Memory Brick project in Drolette Stadium, and meeting our goal to donate $10,000 to the purchase and installation of 6 more water bottle filling stations across campus.

Join us! Become a member today - every parent, family member, student, and staff member can join PTSA for just $10 per person. (Membership link below)

Support our fundraisers! Add us as your charity of choice on AmazonSmile, make a direct donation along with your membership purchase, and check here each month to learn about our current fundraisers. Every dollar makes a difference or our students!!

We look forward to having you join our PTSA and become a member of this amazing school community!

Student Parking Passes are FREE, but students must register using the link below. Once a student has submitted the registration information needed, the information will be reviewed and a parking pass will be issued to the student (delivered to them in class). If information is missing or needed, the student will receive an email in their student email account with further instructions.

For students seeking a work permit for after school or weekend employment, Ms. Gladi in the College & Career Center is available to assist you. To start the work permit process, the student must work with their potential employer to first fill out the “Intent to Employ a Minor and Request for Work Permit.” The student can then email the document to Ms. Gladi at mgladi@beniciaunified.org for review and completion.

Link to Work Permit Document

Mental health and well-being is a priority for feeling safe, comfortable, and ready to learn at school. In support of this, we have invested in several resources that you can access whenever you need help. You are not alone and it is an act of bravery and strength to seek help. We encourage you to use our on-campus resources and save the community resources so you can easily find them if you or someone you know needs help.

• Access help by visiting the Wellness Center

• Sign up for support with a counselor or ask to talk with a school psychologist

• Talk with a trusted staff member

• BUSD has partnered with Care Solace to support our community’s mental health

If you or a family member is looking for help with mental health or substance use, Care Solace can quickly find treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of the circumstance. Care Solace’s care navigation services are confidential and complimentary to Benicia Unified School District’s students, staff, and their families. Care Solace’s team is available 24/7/365 and can support you in any language.

If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a provider:

• Call 888-515-0595, available 24/7/365

• Visit www.caresolace.com/beniciausd to search on your own OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

In an emergency:

• Call 911 or and request a Crisis Intervention Trained (C.I.T.) response

• Go to the closest emergency room for support

• Call the National Suicide Prevention & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org

• Text “Hello” or “Home” to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor

• Trevor Lifeline LGBTQQ+ Crisis Support: 1-866-488-7386

What is the Benicia Mentor Program?

The mentoring program started in 2002 at Liberty High and expanded to Benicia High and

Benicia Middle Schools in 2009. The mentors are community members who volunteer their

time to connect with and support students.

What is a Mentor?

A mentor is vetted through the BUSD and is not meant to take the place of a parent or

guardian, but is an adult friend whom a student can speak with about what may be going on in

their lives. The mentor is not there to correct, tutor, or change student, but to be role models

who are able to share from their life experiences. The mentor and student meet weekly on

campus, during the school day. Also, if there comes a time when we feel your student is in

danger to themselves or others, the mentor will communicate their concern to the school

administration for further action.

Why a need for a Mentoring Program?

As we are all well aware of, the past 3 yrs. have been unprecedented. Some students are better

at “covering up” their needs, frustrations, and fears than others are. Many students are trying

to figure out how they fit into today’s world and how they will be able to deal with the threats

of violence, changes to laws that may affect them, or if there will be employment waiting for

them when they graduate. There are times a student would rather bounce things off an adult

who is not their parent or guardian. It is by no means a put down to the parent, but it is a good

thing that another caring adult can be there for your child.

How Do You Get Your Student Involved?

I am Ric Small and I have been involved in the mentoring program from the beginning. I would

be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and to get your student signed up.

We have a form for the parent/guardian and student to sign. Please contact me at 707-333-

4509, or ric@alonzosmall.com.

The PeerBuddies program pairs children and teens with social difficulties with same-aged Peer Buddy volunteers to create an inclusive space for learning essential social skills. Our services are provided in the community or via Telehealth.

Our In-Person Private Sessions take place in the community for 1 hour a week, for 10 weeks between the hours of 9:30 am-6:00 pm, Monday-Friday. Locations include parks, cafe's, public libraries, and other places around Benicia that would be motivating for our kids to hang out! All of our participants and their buddies work to create inclusive spaces for learning essential social skills - all while engaging in varied, stimulating, age-appropriate activities around our community! Our Lead Facilitators (RBTs) guide and support every session and our Private Sessions program is a drop-off/pick-up arrangement.

The first step to getting enrolled in the program is to submit an application:

Peer Buddy Volunteer Application

Participant Application

We are pleased to announce our district-wide participation in the National School Lunch and School

Breakfast Programs with the California “Universal Meal”. All students enrolled in the Benicia School

District will receive breakfast and lunch free of charge each day they are at school. All food and

beverages served at BUSD schools meet state and federal requirements.

Families still need to complete the Free/Reduced Meal Application on the BUSD web site for the following other benefits:

• Student eligibility for Pandemic-EBT benefits (more information below)

• Student eligibility for discounted services such as Advanced Placement Exams and home internet/WiFi services

• Discounted college application fees

• School eligibility for significant additional State Funding

• Apply on line at: http://www.myschoolapps.com/
• You will be notified with the results

Should a family need to request special meals or accommodations for a student for medical purposes, please use THIS FORM and email the completed form to smurcia@beniciaunified.org.

Communication is a key component to a successful school community. Our team of administrators, counselors, teachers, case managers, and staff members work to provide the best communication possible throughout the year and ask that you partner with us in this effort.

An area of concern regarding communication are the online forums and apps such as the “Benicia Happenings” group on Facebook, Next Door app, and similar pages/social media sites. On several occasions, incorrect information has been posted and negative or bullying remarks have been directed towards the school, staff, parents, and other individuals. Spreading false information is extremely disruptive and may compromise the work of the school and school safety. Posting negative and disparaging comments damages the positive school culture we work to create every day.

In high school we encourage students to grow to be self-advocates and to communicate for themselves. Most concerns can be addressed and solved when the student proactively and positively communicates directly with their teacher or their counselor. For further assistance, we provide a communication guide on our website with information on who to contact and the timeline to expect a response.

In an effort to provide high quality communication, we ask that questions be directed to school staff via email or phone so that correct information can be provided. When in doubt, contact the school. Our Main Office number is (707) 747-8325 and if you are not sure who to email you can send your question to BHSInfo@beniciaunified.org and we will direct it to the correct person to assist you. We also recommend use of our website, school-operated social media accounts, and monthly newsletter to access accurate and timely information. We thank you in advance for your support in this effort.

Link to BHS Communication Guide

Email: BHSinfo@beniciaunified.org
Website: bhs.beniciaunified.org/
Location: 1101 Military West, Benicia, CA, USA
Phone: (707) 747-8325
Facebook: facebook.com/BeniciaHighPanthers
Twitter: @BeniciaHighBHS

District programs, activities, and practices shall be free from unlawful discrimination, including discrimination against an individual or group based on race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or related recovery, parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information; a perception of one or more of such characteristics; or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.